The European Union’s aid chief said Saturday called on South Sudan’s warring leaders to strike a compromise deal.

The European Union's aid chief said Saturday called on South Sudan's warring leaders to strike a compromise deal, warning that the international community was running out of patience over the country's civil war.

"The war and the blame games must stop, and they must stop now -- it is high time for peace," said EU Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid Christos Stylianides, after travelling to both government and opposition strongholds in the war-torn country to plead with leaders to end fighting.

South Sudan's civil war started in December 2013, when President Salva Kiir accused Riek Machar, who had been sacked as vice president, of attempting a coup. Peace talks brokered by regional powers collapsed in March.

"The international community is becoming very frustrated," Stylianides told AFP, although he declined to say whether the EU would make further sanctions on military or political leaders, after placing asset freezes and travel bans last year on two commanders on both sides.

"I come from Cyprus, and so I know well what problems ethnic violence can cause," he added, referring to the division of the Mediterranean island between Greeks and Turks.

"All of us have our narratives of our history, but the most important things are peace and security. War is no solution, compromises must be made."
He said forces on all sides had to ensure aid workers could access those affected -- and were not themselves attacked.

"They need access to vulnerable communities and the victims... and all players on the ground on all sides must safeguard that access," he said.